This invention relates generally to doorbell systems and particularly to apparatuses and methods for driving a doorbell system peripheral load at a higher current wherein said apparatuses and methods utilize the power, wiring, and primary load of a conventional doorbell system.
Conventional doorbell systems in buildings, typically residences, throughout the United States and elsewhere are hardwired and comprise a transformer, a primary load, and a pushbutton. The transformer lowers standard household AC voltage to a level required to operate the primary load. The primary load is an electromagnetic or electronic sound device that operates on low voltage and is typically a bell, buzzer, or chime. The pushbutton is typically a normally open switch. System activation requires physical contact with the pushbutton. Manual depression of the pushbutton closes an electrical circuit causing the primary load to energize.
While most conventional pushbuttons are essentially non-power-consuming devices, some comprise an integrated illumination device. The illumination device serves to illuminate the pushbutton at dark and is typically an incandescent bulb or a light emitting diode. Conventional pushbuttons with an integrated illumination device are typically referred to as illuminated or lighted pushbuttons.
Considerations of convenience, security, and/or simply surprise and delight have led to the development of various alternate pushbuttons. Unlike conventional illuminated or lighted pushbuttons, the alternate pushbuttons have as a primary object, illuminating the space in the proximity of the pushbutton in addition to or instead of solely illuminating the pushbutton itself. The alternate pushbuttons comprise one or more integrated and/or external illumination devices and may or may not be drop-in replacements for conventional pushbuttons. U.S. Pat. No. 7,180,021 (Birdwell et al.) discloses a drop-in replacement “LED Illuminated Door Chime Pushbutton with Adjustable Task Light”. U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2004/0095254 (Maruszczak) discloses a non-drop-in replacement “Door Bell Answering System” that includes an exterior panel comprising a pushbutton and safety light.
Unfortunately, all of the alternate pushbuttons devised thus far, drop-in replacement or not, have one or more significant disadvantages that have prevented their widespread application.
The drop-in replacement alternate pushbuttons, including Birdwell's, have significant operating current limitations and consequently significant illumination intensity limitations. The operating current limitations are a consequence of system topology. Because they extract their power from a conventional doorbell system and are connected in series with a conventional doorbell system primary load, if they extract too much current they will cause the primary load to inadvertently energize (i.e., energize without the pushbutton being pressed). While the operating current capacities and illumination intensities of the alternate pushbuttons may be sufficient for adequately illuminating the pushbutton itself, they are insufficient for adequately illuminating the space in the proximity of the pushbutton.
The non-drop-in replacement alternate pushbuttons, including Maruszczak's, are independent or predominantly independent systems. That is, unlike the drop-in replacement pushbuttons, they do not extract their power solely from a conventional doorbell system and/or are not connected in series with a conventional doorbell system primary load and therefore they do not necessarily have significant operating current or illumination intensity limitations. However, because they do not, or do not adequately, interface with or compliment a conventional doorbell system, they are complex, difficult to install, expensive, redundant, and/or require periodic maintenance (e.g., battery replacement).